


Charlie Weasley, Crocodile Hunter

by Evangeline_Ekiss



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, The Crocodile Hunter
Genre: Charlie Weasley Loves Dragons, Crack Treated Seriously, Gen, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-16 15:20:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29209512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evangeline_Ekiss/pseuds/Evangeline_Ekiss
Summary: A bit adrift after the 2nd Blood War, Charlie goes with Hermione to Australia to find her parents and finds so much more.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 34
Collections: 2021 Prompt Calendar





	Charlie Weasley, Crocodile Hunter

**Author's Note:**

> This is a response to the January Theme prompt found on the 2021 prompt calendar on the Writing & Junk site. 
> 
> My beta was Grammerly.

It was official, his mum had lost her damned marbles! Charlie loved his mum, really, but like the rest of the Weasley children (except maybe Ron) he blew outta the Burrow as fast as he could, as soon as he could. Both Bill and Charlie experienced a different type of parenting than the younger children and well there was a reason that as soon as they were of age they took the job that would get them the furthest away from their parents… or really just their mum. The poor twins did have to deal with complete disappointment even though most parents would be thrilled that their children found a way to make a great business out of doing what they love. Both Bill and Charlie often were nagged by their mother to quit their “too dangerous” jobs and get a ministry job back home but she didn’t dismiss everything about them as much as she did with the twins. 

But the point is, his mum has gone completely mad and so he was hightailing it outta England asap. After the close call of almost losing Fred (thank Merlin that Percy was so quick with a shield charm), she became even more overbearing and protective. Even worse was that the Romanian government lost its head and banned anyone from the UK magical community from entering the country so he couldn’t claim he had to go back to work. You-Know-Poo was dead, body confirmed and all, but Romania was still healing from Grindlewald and was taking no chances. Charlie could understand their trepidation and caution but he missed his dragons… and some of his co-workers. 

He couldn’t stand the head of the Welsh Dragon Reserve and the feeling was mutual so he couldn’t even keep up work as a dragon tamer within the UK. With nothing to do besides pushing off his mother’s matchmaking attempts, when Hermione stated she was going to Australia to search for her parents, he volunteered to go with her. Ron and Harry wouldn’t be able to join her as they agreed to become Aurors and were going through the academy. Besides, things were frosty between Ron and Hermione after she admitted that she would like to remain just friends and the kiss between them was due to adrenalin and she felt no spark.

**``**

They tracked her parent’s down in the Sunshine Coast area in Queensland. They were happy to find them unharmed and from what they could tell, they were the first to locate them. Hermione was relieved that her parents weren’t able to be found by the Death Eaters and was ready to start working on reversing the memory charm. Charlie had been horrified when he first heard what she did but after she explained that Professor Flitwick and her had worked on the modified charms together and she had her parent’s permission he accepted it was just one of the casualties of fighting in a war. Hermione did admit that she had to act sooner than they planned and that her parents were expecting her to go with them but all that went out the window when Dumbledore died and she knew Harry would need her. 

Charlie personally thought that she never would have gone with them anyway. The young woman he got to know would never back down from a fight to protect those in need. For all that she touted that Harry had a “saving-people-thing”, she was a crusader in her own right. He did however set her to rights on the SPEW thing. She was a stubborn thing but Charlie was a blunt instrument and he just bulled past her tirade and stated that without actually talking and **listening** to the house-elves she was just perpetuating imperialist attitudes like the British did to African countries. It took some coaxing from Charlie for Leena, the head Hogwarts elf, to talk with Hermione but she gave in and explained to Hermione about the plague that had hit their ancestors destroying their ability to channel wild magic without an anchor and how they now bonded with wizarding families and establishments in order to be healthy. 

**``**

While Hermione worked on the prep for reversing the memory charms he decided to explore. Hermione had recommended a wildlife park called the Australian Zoo that she said she thought he would enjoy. Charlie was skeptical as he had been to a muggle zoo in London and wasn’t too impressed. She however stated that this park and the owners were known for their conservation efforts and worked with animals that she felt he would love instantly. He agreed with nothing else to do but didn’t really have high expectations. 

He arrived at the opening time and was ready to make a day seeing what this place had to offer. Immediately he was impressed with the range of animals present and the natural feel of the park. In London, all the cages and pens had created an artificial and sterile environment. His attention was caught by a cheerful bloke who was lovingly crooning at a huge crocodile. He wandered closer and watched the feeding of the giant reptile. The man introduced himself as Steve and went on to educate the audience on the animal as well as why he was making them jump and charge for their meal. The love the man had for these animals showed like an aura around him. After feeding the croc, a “sheila” named Bindi, Steve hopped out of the enclosure and went over to talk to some of the other park workers. 

Charlie continued to wander around the park and learning about all the animals within. There were park workers walking around with animals that people could go up and learn about or even take pictures with. He spoke with many of the workers, including the park director, Wes, about the animals, their work, and their conservation efforts. He was handling and talking with a Burmese python named Alimah when he heard footsteps coming his way.

“You’re really great with handling her.”

Charlie looked up and found the croc feeder, Steve, smiling down at them. “I’ve worked with reptiles since I was 18 and I have a gift with snakes.” Both he and Bill took an inheritance test when they turned 17 and found they were latent parselmouths. They both activated their gifts and used them frequently in the course of their jobs. Neither however told their mother or youngest two siblings as they had a skewed perception of the talent. 

Steve smiled brilliantly, “oh what do you do?”

Charlie answered without thinking, “I’m a dragon handler.”

“You work with Komodo dragons?” Steve asked almost bouncing with excitement. 

“Yes,” Charlie answered, relieved there was a mundane dragon that he could claim he worked with. He had actually come across and handled a few but he still preferred the magical dragons. “I worked in a preserve that cares and rehabilitates them. My specialty is nesting mothers and rescues.” His heart tugged a bit at the thought of Niko and Azula, his two Hungarian Horntail hatchlings that he might not see for years.

“ _Why are you sad_?” Alimah asked.

“Due to some work visa issues, I don’t know when I’ll be able to go back to the reserve.” Luckily Alimah seemed to understand English so he wasn’t speaking in parseltongue in front of a muggle. 

Steve shot him a sympathetic look. “That’s awful, mate. I don’t know what I would do without my animals.”

“Well, this place is certainly helping my homesickness! All the animals are happy and healthy here.”

They spoke about their passion for reptiles and the best habitats for over an hour before Steve had to go back to work somewhere in the park. When Charlie left the park at closing he felt lighter than he had since the start of the war. 

**``**

He visited the Zoo often over the next week. He spent another full day after he got a letter from the Head of the Romanian Preserve that they wouldn’t be able to bring him back and that he didn’t see the government relaxing for at least half a decade or more. He did offer to provide a recommendation if Charlie wanted to work for another Preserve. Charlie had accepted the offer and decided to look at his prospects. He had chosen Romania when he graduated because of their government’s more progressive laws on magical creatures. They were more interested in the health and happiness of the animals than the parts that could be harvested from them. The New Zeland preserve was the next best option but they had a waiting list that could take years to get a permanent position. 

After talking it over with Hermione and the Grangers (who now had their memories back and were deciding on if they wanted to move back to England or stay) he decided to take the consultant job with the New Zeland Preserve to get a foot in the door. Hermione had joined him for his second full day Zoo trip and listened and gave thoughtful responses when he gushed and spouted animal facts at her. She brought up the idea of seeing if there were opening at the zoo and working with mundane animals until a more permanent position opened up at the preserve. He thought it over and decided it would give him a different perspective and keep him in the conservation field. 

He had built up a quick friendship with Steve so when he stopped in and asked about work, he was happy to have him join the team. He asked if there was anything he could do to help with his visa issue but Charlie assured him that there would be no issue getting a work visa for Australia. Percy jumped on the chance to help Charlie and set up everything he needed for muggle records and he and the twins even took an international portkey to help him find a place and settle in. 

He fit in quickly and completely at the Zoo and even started going out for the rescues and relocations. He found a best friend in Steve and Terrie was amazing. He often went out with them as support when they filmed their shows and eventually became the third co-star. He was still able to get in his dragon fix by helping the NZP on dangerous rescues. He had to read Steve and Terrie in after they dropped by his place during the hatching of an Antipodean Opaleye he rescued from smugglers. The Australian Ministry was much more relaxed about it than the British Ministry would have been but he found out that they had been considering it for a while as apparently, Steve had a habit of almost stumbling upon magical creatures often. 

Though he only learned about television when he and Hermione started their search he easily grasps the power it holds as a medium. Steve and Terrie talk about how through their show they can spread their cause of conservation and education on animals to thousands of people. He starts looking into the options to get it into the magical world and finds out that the US has created spells you can place on electronics so they aren’t interfered with by magic. With some pushing spearheaded by his dad and Hermione, they were able to push out the isolationist laws in the Wizengamot so all the more modern advances that are used in the US, most of Europe, and Australia can be found and spread in the UK. 

Charlie, Steve, Hagrid, and Luna start shows on magical creatures, similar to The Crocodile Hunter, to air to magical families and get kids and adults excited and aware of magical animals and protecting them and their habitats. The highlight of his life was when he got a letter from the Newt Scamander asking if he could guest star on his show. He’s not ashamed to admit that he totally freaked out and cried. While they did have Newt appear on the show he also got Newt his own show to talk about and share his adventures when writing Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. Newt and Steve hit it off right away and Charlie was pretty sure that Steve got a new idol to look up to. 

He never thought he’d be working in a muggle conservation and rescue park and starring on TV shows but he found that he wouldn’t trade it for the world. Besides Hermione loved bragging that she was actually friends with Charlie Weasley & Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunters to her muggle friends.


End file.
